Annabel Crabb

As dawn broke over Australia's new federal budget on Wednesday, it found some interest groups reeling at the new and straitened circumstances under which they will henceforth be obliged to live.

Among the hardest hit are firebrand conservative columnists, whose crucial supply of rant fuel has been cut off abruptly by the newly released national fiscal blueprint.

The suffering of such opinion leaders is twofold. Not only will most be obliged personally to pay the deficit levy on Australians earning more than $180,000 a year, but they have also effectively been stripped of two subjects – class war taxes on the rich and the reprehensibility of broken campaign promises – on which many had formerly relied heavily for rhetorical ballast.

Former prime minister Julia Gillard's broken promise on the carbon tax provided a rich source on which such commentators were able to subsist comfortably for years – even after the defeat of her government, it was not unusual to see entire columns reminding readers of how pusillanimous an act it is for a politician to say one thing before an election and do another afterwards.

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But the budget has largely stilled the production line of outrage on these points, proving once again that budgets – particularly harsh ones – do indeed change behaviour.

In the days before the budget, when the Coalitions's plans to raid fuel excise and stiff millionaires was but a rumour, News Ltd columnist Andrew Bolt urged Prime Minister Tony Abbott to issue a general public apology for even entertaining the idea of breaking his "no new taxes" campaign promise.

But when the dreadful truth was confirmed, Bolt dashed off a column at 6.30am moodily commending the overall direction of the budget, then spent the rest of the day attacking the ABC, Manus Island refugees, Gillard, Adam Goodes, Kevin Rudd's insulation scheme and demanding to know exactly where Barack Obama was when the diplomatic compound at Benghazi was attacked.

Once upon a time, a budget that sprung not only petrol price increases but also a new tax on rich voters would have been an opportunity for Bolt to spend day after day in ceaseless, pleasurable thunderation. The scarifying effects of the budget here are obvious.

Piers Akerman, likewise, for whom election pledge chicanery and petrol tank thumping has provided an invaluable income stream in recent years, warned Abbott passionately before the budget to abandon any thought of excise increases or new taxes.

But, on budget night, Akerman, too, climbed resignedly aboard the tumbril, issuing a blog post so riven with inner conflicts that it struggled, at times, with both syntax and spelling: "Forget the predictable cries of anguish from the ABC's trained troupe of rent-seekers," he gasped bravely. "There is not that as much suffering (sic) as they might have you believe."

The petrol tax increase, meanwhile, became an "additional cent or to (sic)" and was swiftly abandoned for some uncharacteristically wandering historical points about Ben Chifley and Winston Churchill.

Increased petrol taxes? And no tub-thumpers angry? Surely Alan Jones would stay strong. If Gillard had increased fuel excise, Jones would instantly have recommended firing her into space – and hang the expense.

But, on budget morning, when the Prime Minister reported for his Jonesian rub-down, he received nothing but approval for pricier fuel.

"There are legitimate reasons around the world for this," avowed Jones sternly. "One is to stop the guzzling of a scarce resource."

Such is the price of this budget. Hard-working Australians, stripped of their dignity and self-respect, obliged to get by scraps.

Elsewhere, new explanations were discovered for why breaking promises can sometimes be OK.

"A tally of promises kept and those supposedly broken is a hopeless measure of a government's worth," decided The Australian's Nick Cater, on balance.

Janet Albrechtsen gently mourned the "debate about broken promises" which "infects politics worldwide". She also told readers the Danish word meaning "debate about broken promises". It's "loftebrudsdebatten", just in case you get asked at pub trivia.

Trust deficits, in this joined-up world we all inhabit, aren't just restricted to politics. They also accrue to the hyper-opinionated, especially those who adjust those opinions according to the political breeze.

Incidentally, it's worth pointing out that Joe Hockey – the author of all this inconvenience – is probably the player concerned who can least be accused of double-dealing. He made his views on "entitlement" known before the election and, in government, he has ploughed on and written a budget to match, in the process collecting brickbats for everything from his taste in smokeables and music to the price tag on a dress worn by his wife, a self-made woman who has earned a lot over her life, not least the right to wear whatever she wants.

People used to write of Hockey that he lacked political and economic courage. But they don't any more. That's political climate change for you.

168 comments

I'm so enjoying politics at the moment.

It's enormously enjoyable watching the commentators try to justify giving a free pass to Abbott other things they would have crucified Julia Gillard for and destroying their own crediblity at the same time.

Without Fear of Flavour - love your work Bolt :-)

Some of the online correspondents, Hacka in particular and having a tough old time too.

So much fun

Commenter

FFS

Date and time

May 17, 2014, 9:56PM

Ahh, the politics of hate continues, helped on by posters like you and Annabel Crabb.

Commenter

born2vespa

Location

auronzo di cadore, Italy

Date and time

May 18, 2014, 5:32PM

born2vespa - i assume you'll take issue with Shorten being negative towards Abbott's policies, I wonder where he ever would have learnt to do that.

The problem the right commentators have is that the promises Abbott made are crystal clear and no amount of attempts to try to rewrite their comments or justify them is gonig to work.

What's truly hilarious is much of what Abbot promised repeatedly, of no new taxes, no cuts to education, the 'unity ticket' not cuts to the ABS, etc etc were probably not necessary for him to get elected.

But he was the one who promised the not surprises, 'you can trust me to keep my promises' he was the one who flayed Gillard for years over integrity. That he is surprised that people hold to to that says more about him that anything the opposition can.

Commenter

FFS

Date and time

May 18, 2014, 5:44PM

Just trying to picture all of the Labor people watching the Bolt Report and listening to Alan Jones and reading Piers Ackerman. No wonder their ratings are so good.I know they must do it because otherwise they would be guilty of a Lie- impossible.

Commenter

chartered

Location

peakhurst

Date and time

May 18, 2014, 6:47PM

Having a bit of a laugh at the far right and their posters, who I might add were out in force yesterday posting lots of hate is hardly the politics of hate. New speak seems to be everywhere at the moment and sadly no shortage of new speakers.

You hate on born2 vespa, it's your right. I hope you are on the right side of the wealth divide in the proposed economic modifications designed to save us from this totally unforeseen economic disaster that I see as Abbott biggest lie.

Commenter

Bruce

Date and time

May 18, 2014, 6:59PM

Born2 vespa, the hate politics was born and spun under Abbott and continues. The Liberal diatribe and spin well supported by the Murdoch columnists spurt out daily columns attacking anything opposed to the Liberal ideology.Just pick up any Daily Telegraph and read the lies and deceit from all the columnists. The latest catch buzz word doing the rounds is Australia will become like Greece.Really, the utter diatribe.There is no comparison and ever will be.Their worst enemy was an underhand cash society. Our worst enemy is Mr Abbott and his agenda to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.

Commenter

Liberal Greek tragedy

Date and time

May 18, 2014, 7:01PM

Lovely piece.Well, it seems there are lies and then there are damn lies.These include: White lies (“Of course there is an Easter Bunny”); sensible lies (“No, your bum does not look too big in that dress”); Clinton lies (“I did not have sexual relations with that woman”); political lies (“I think you misinterpreted what I said” and "Just move along now").In the hierarchy of unforgiveableness, it is the political porkers from the party we do not support that provoke the greatest indignation.

Commenter

Howe Synnott

Location

Sydney

Date and time

May 18, 2014, 7:07PM

Broken promises?

We are talking about LIES, LIES, and more LIES. Abbott is a LIAR.

He lied before the election. He lied to get elected. Now he's lying about whether he lied.

And now they have the hide to ask us to trust them. It beggars belief.

Commenter

Veronica

Date and time

May 17, 2014, 10:39PM

It is just paid liars defending a government of pathological liars. Australia is sinking to the lowest common denominator in professional and political integrity, thanks to the prime liar Abbot.

Commenter

Globalsoul

Date and time

May 18, 2014, 6:58PM

Ummm... did you read the article before your rant? It's actually about how the journos can have double standards depending on their political leanings. But hey, why worry about staying on topic - easier to take any opportunity to stick the knife in over the nature of the u-turn, rather than the economic sense it makes huh?